Fruit or vegetable peeler.



1% 757,551. Q PATEN-IED APR.19, 1904. T. M. GUEST.

I FRUIT 0R VEGETABLE PEELER.

APPLICATION FILED my a, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

g UNITED STATES Patented April 19, 1904.

PAT NT OFFICE.

THEODORE M. GUEST, OF MORAVIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GRANT P. SOMMERVILLE, OF MORAVIA, NEW YORK.

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE PEELER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,551, dated April 19, 1904. Application filed May 8, 1903. Serial No. 156,231- (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE M. GUEsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moravia, in the county of'Cayuga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Fruit or Vegetable Peeler, of which the following is a specification The invention relates to certain improvements in devices of that class employed for paring fruit and vegetables, and has for its principal object to provide aparing-knife of simple and economical construction, which may be employed for the expeditious removal of the skins offruits and vegetables.

A further object of the invention isto proillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a paring-knife constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 isaperspective view of one of the arms of the holding-frame and a portion of the knife, showing the manner of connecting the two. Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable guard. Figs. 5 and 6 are elevations showing slight modifications in the arrangement of the knife and guard. Fig. 7 is a perspective viewillustrating a slight modification in the method of connecting the paring-knife to its paringframe.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention I employ a knife-holding frame 1, preferably formed of a piece of light metal, such as wire, bent to form two arms 2 and 3 and of convenient size to'be readily grasped in one hand. The terminal ends of the arms are curved or inciined to a slight extent, as indicated at 4,

and in the adjacent faces of these arms are formed small slots 5, having terminal shoulders orwalls 6, forming stops for the rear edge of a paring-knife 7. 1

The knife 7, which is preferably formed of steel, is generally arranged on a slightlycurved line, its cutting edge being nearest the handle portion of the frame audits opposite ends being received within the slots 4c of the frame. Where the knife is curved, it is held in place Within the slots by the slight tendency which it has to reassume an initial straight position, although this in all cases is not absolutely essential to the proper retention of the knife in place.

8 designates a guard preferably curved in form and bent at its opposite ends in such manner as to embrace the arms 2, serving to some extent to maintain the arms in proper relation to each other and bind the terminal ends of the .knife. That edge of the guard nearest the knife is rounded, as indicated at 9, in order to more closely follow the general curvature of the surface of the fruit or vegetable being pared, and the guard as a Whole is adjustable toward and from the knife, increase or decrease in the distance between the cutting edge of the knife and the adjacent edge of the guard producing a corresponding variation in the thickness of the paring.

. The knife edge is preferably on a plane a trifle above the upper edge of the guard, so that the cutting effect may be gained by pressing the I guard proper very slightly on the surface of the fruit or vegetable; but the depth of cut may be slightly increased by the exercise of greater pressure to increase the curvature of the guard and allowing the knife to enter more deeply, while variation in the depth of out due to differences in the character of the fruit and vegetables may be instantly made by shifting the guard while the instrument is in use, one edge of the guard being engaged varied by placing the knife at an angle other than a right angle to the general plane of the frame, and the guard may be disposed in a similar manner, these modifications being shown in Figs. 5 and 6, while the structure in other respects remains the same.

While it is preferred, for the sake of economy, to make the handle member of the simple piece of wire, it is of course obvious that the frame may be formed of cast or other metal or may be partly solid, as shown at 2' in Fig. 5.

The device forming the subject of the invention is intended principally as a hand instrument,which may be manipulated in accordance with the character of the fruit or vegetable being pared, or the knife may be heldstationary and the fruit or vegetable moved, as is commonin the paring of potatoes, or the knife and guard may be applied without change Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is I 1. In adevice of the class specified, a frame comprising a pair of arms having grooved end portions, a curved cutting-blade having its oppositc ends adapted to the grooves, and a curved guard slidably mounted on the two arms and adjustable toward and from said cutting-blade.

2. In a device of the class specified, a frame comprising a pair of arms each provided with an inclined slot, a knife-blade having its 0pposite ends disposed within the slots, and a guard carried by said arms and adjustable thereon.

3. In a device of the class specified, a frame comprising a pair of spaced arms each having a groove, a guard member embracing both arms, and a knife having its opposite ends fitted within 'the grooves, the, length of the knife being greater than the distance between the bottom walls of said grooves.

4. Ina device of the class specified, a frame, a knife carried thereby, and a guard carried by the frame, that edge of the guard adjacent to the knife being curved outward toward the knife so thatthe central portion of the guard shall lie closer to the knife than the end portions thereto.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE MIGUEST. Witnesses J. A. THoMAs, J AMES E. OGDEN. 

